Selecting the Right Fish for Your Tank

Saltwater aquariums usually gets all the hype, but freshwater aquariums offer their own sense of splendor. Many take on the challenges of freshwater setups quite readily, however, there is a good amount of work that goes into establishing a proper tank.

Finding the right fish to work in your tank is part of the challenge. Not all fish will cohabitate happily together, and others aren’t as hardy as you may think. With proper care, any freshwater aquarist, at any level, can be successful. Here’s a breakdown of some tried and true favorites.

Beginner Level: Guppies

Guppies are fun to watch as they school together. Most of the time, you will find these small fish hanging around the surface of their tank, with their elegant tails creating a frenzy of color; it’s the males that boast the most color.

While happily kept together, and with other peaceful freshwater companions, it’s best not to keep males and females together unless you want more guppies than you care to count! These fish belong in the family of livebearers, meaning they don’t lay eggs. Instead, the eggs are fertilized and kept within the mother until they hatch, and are then born as tiny versions of their adult selves.